Angelonia plant named ‘Balanglabi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Angelonia  plant named ‘Balanglabi’, characterized by its lavender and white bicolored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Angelonia angustifolia.

Variety denomination: ‘Balanglabi’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Angelonia plant botanically known as Angelonia angustifolia and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balanglabi’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Arroyo Grande, Calif. during September 2004. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Angelonia cultivars with unique flower coloration, continuous flowering, and a moderately vigorous, freely branching, and upright growth habit.

The new Angelonia cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Angelonia angustifolia breeding selection designated 696-1, not patented, characterized by its light lavender and white bicolored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Angelonia angustifolia breeding selection designated 873-4, not patented, characterized by its light lavender and white bicolored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and upright growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during June 2005 in a controlled environment at Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since June 2005 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Balanglabi’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Angelonia plant:

-   -   1. Lavender and white bicolored flowers;     -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female and male parents primarily by flower size and leaf size. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller leaves and larger sized flowers than both the female and male parents.

Of the many commercially available Angelonia cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ANGELMIST Lavender Stripe ‘Balanglast’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,668. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Balanglast’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color different than         plants of ‘Balanglast’; and     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller leaves, as measured         by leaf length, than plants of ‘Balanglast’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balanglabi’. The plants were grown in 4.5 inch pots for 6 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill. Plants were given one pinch at transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Balanglabi’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Balanglabi’.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of ‘Balanglabi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined on May 1, 2007 between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. under natural light conditions, in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5 inch pots for 6 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Plants were given one pinch at transplant. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Angelonia angustifolia cultivar     Balanglabi. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Angelonia angustifolia breeding             selection designated 696-1, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Angelonia angustifolia breeding             selection designated 873-4, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7 to 9 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 24 to 28             days.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 5 to 8 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in an 11 cm to 13 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             upright.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 31.6 cm. Width: Approximately 33.0 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching enhances basal             branching. Quantity of main branches per plant:             Approximately 4.         -   Branch.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Somewhat             brittle. Length to base of raceme: Approximately 10.0 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm. Length of central internode:             Approximately 2.2 cm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent.             Gland color: 154D. Color of young and mature stems: 144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:             Approximately 14. Fragrance: Slight. Form: Simple.             Arrangement: Opposite.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Perpendicular or obtuse angle to stem.             Shape: Elliptic. Margin: Widely serrate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Sessile. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:             Approximately 5.2 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately             1.0 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely             glandular pubescent. Gland color: 154D. Color of upper             surface of young foliage: 137B with venation of 144B. Color             of lower surface of young and mature foliage: 138B with             venation of 138D. Color of upper surface of mature foliage:             137A with venation of 144B. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balanglabi’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in             greenhouse environment.         -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately             7 to 10 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Terminal raceme. Quantity per             plant: Approximately 4. Fragrance: Slight, sweet. Length or             height: Approximately 24 cm. Width: Approximately 4.3 cm.             Quantity of fully open flowers per inflorescence:             Approximately 17. -   Flower description:     -   -   Type.—Solitary, zygomorphic.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 3 to 4 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Globular. Length:             Approximately 5.6 mm. Diameter: Approximately 5.6 mm. Color             of upper surface: N187C. Color of lower surface: 145A with             spots of N187A.         -   Corolla.—Shape: Bilabiate. Aspect: Facing outward. Length:             Approximately 2.0 cm. Width: Approximately 1.7 cm. Depth:             Approximately 8.4 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: 5, fused at base forming a throat and             consisting of an upper lip with 2 petals and a lower lip             with 3 petals, 2 lateral petals and one central petal.             Shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Obtuse.         -   Upper lip.—Length of petals from throat: Approximately             5.0 mm. Width of each petal: Approximately 7.0 cm. Texture             of upper surface: Sparsely glandular pubescent. Gland color:             Colorless, transparent. Texture of lower surface: Glabrous.             Color of upper surface when fully open: Closest to N88B.             Color of lower surface when fully open: N88C.         -   Lower lip, lateral petals.—Length of petals from throat:             Approximately 6.6 mm. Width of each petal: Approximately             7.6 mm. Texture of upper surface: Sparsely glandular             pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Texture of             lower surface: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color:             Colorless, transparent. Color of upper surface when fully             open: N88B at base transitioning near center to N88C. Color             of lower surface when fully open: N88D at base transitioning             near center to N155A.         -   Lower lip, central petal.—Length from the palate:             Approximately 6.7 mm. Width: Approximately 6.7 mm. Texture             of upper surface: Sparsely glandular pubescent. Gland color:             Colorless, transparent. Texture of lower surface: Densely             glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent.             Color of upper surface when fully open: N155A at base             transitioning near center to N88C. Color of lower surface             when fully open: 155D.         -   Throat.—Length: Approximately 7.3 mm. Width: Approximately             6.3 mm. Texture of inner surface: Sparsely glandular             pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Texture of             outer surface: Glabrous. Color of inner and outer surfaces:             N88D with spots of N79A. Palate color: 145B with spots of             N79B at edges. Palate texture: Glabrous. Teeth color: 145C.         -   Calyx.—Shape: Star, cupped. Diameter: Approximately 6.0 mm.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Fused. Length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Width:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of upper surface: Sparsely             glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent.             Texture of lower surface: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland             color: 154D. Color of upper surface: 144A. Color of lower             surface: 144A with an overlay of 187A.         -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Acute angle to             stem. Length: Approximately 1.1 cm. Diameter: Approximately             1.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color:             154D. Color: 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 4 per             flower. Filament length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Filament             color: 155D, opaque with streaks of 92A at anther junction.             Anther shape: Bilobed. Anther length: Approximately 1.0 mm.             Anther color: 158A with N92C at opening. Pollen amount:             Sparse. Pollen color: 155D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1             per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Stigma             shape: Pointed. Stigma length: Less than 1 mm. Stigma color:             Colorless, opaque. Style length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Style             color: Purer white than 155D with streaks of 84A near             stigma. Ovary diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Ovary texture:             Sparsely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless,             transparent. Ovary color: 154C with spots of 187A. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Angelonia has not been observed. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Angelonia plant named ‘Balanglabi’, substantially as herein shown and described. 